Lancaster MP Cat Smith wants fairness in women’s pensions

Lancaster MP Cat Smith has presented a petition to the Speaker of the House of Commons calling for fair transitional arrangements for pensions to be put in place for women born in the 1950s.

The petition, which contained signatures from across the local area, was organised by the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign.

WASPI campaign on behalf of women born after April 6 1951 who have seen their state pension age increase as a result of the 1995 and 2011 Pension Acts.

Ms Smith said: “I was delighted to be able to provide a voice in Parliament for the women unfairly affected by increases in their state pension age.

“This is a generation of women who have fought for equality throughout their working lives.

“The improvements in pay and workplace rights which they secured are those I, and women of my generation, enjoy today. It is only right that as a nation we properly support these women as they approach retirement.

“No-one is arguing against equalising the state pension age but the way in which it has been done has been absolutely shambolic.

“Many women were not informed that their state pension age would be increasing. Many of those who were aware of the increase took significant financial decisions only to then be told at short notice that the timetable for the increase would be accelerated.

“The Government must listen to the women of Lancaster and Fleetwood, and across the UK, and put in place proper transitional arrangements.”